The present invention relates generally to brake apparatus for rail cars, and more specifically to truck mounted brake apparatus.
Truck mounted brakes throughout the railroad industry include either a double actuator system as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,507 or a single actuator system as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,400,874 and 5,495,921. In all three of these systems, the actuator rods extend through holes in the bolster of the truck. The primary and secondary beams are unitary cast iron beams. The beams are U-shaped having a vertical base and two horizontal walls extending therefrom. The actuator or actuators are mounted to the vertical base and the actuator rods are mounted and extend through openings also in the vertical base.
Another example of a truck mounted brake having a single actuator is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,766,980 and 4,653,812. By moving the actuator rods outside of the center section, they pass under the bolster of the truck and no holes through the bolsters are required. The brake beams are shown as having a rolled steel center channel section with end sections having cast brake shoe heads and projecting guide feet bolted to the center section. As with the previous unitary beams, the channeled portion is generally U-shaped having a vertical base wall with two opposed horizontal walls extending therefrom.
There is a continuous drive to reduce the cost, size and weight of the truck mounted brake and make they adaptable for other track gages and truck configurations.
The present invention relates to a brake system for a railroad vehicle having first and second brake beams, two levers pivotally mounting an actuator to the first beam and push rods connecting the levers to the second beam. The first and second brake beams each include a pair of vertically spaced beam members. The levers are mounted to the first brake beam in the space between the beam members to pivot in a plane offset from a center plane of the space. Also, the first and second push rods are mounted to the second brake beam in the space between the beam members to pivot in a plane also offset from the center plane of the space.
The levers each include a lever element connected to the push rods and the actuator and a sleeve extending from the lever element and pivotally connected to the first beam. The connection of the lever element to the sleeve defines the position of the pivot plane of the lever. The second brake beam includes two pairs of spacers extending from the beam members towards an opposed spacer and the second end of the push rods are mounted between the pair of spacers. The height of the spacers in each pair are unequal to define the position of the pivot plane of the push rods. The spacers are welded to a beam member of the brake beam. One of the spacers may be an angle bracket welded to a beam member.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.